P.R.A.Y

PAUSE

REJOICE & REFLECT

ASK

YIELD

Personal Worship

We go to Proverbs 31, which describes the woman who fears the Lord, and we see that every wife needs affirmation.

Together we will pray (P.R.A.Y.) each day – ‘P’: Pausing to be still as we come into the presence of the Lord. ‘R’: Rejoicing as we remember who our God is and what He has done, and Reflecting on His word. ‘A’: Asking God to help us and others. And ‘Y’: yielding to His will in accordance with His word.

Pause

As I come before you to pray, I still my thoughts and quiet my mind. I seek to make you the center of my focus.

Prayer of Approach

Father God, as I come before you now, I quiet my heart and fix my eyes on you. I come not in my own strength, but trusting in your mercy and love. Speak, Lord—your servant is listening. Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things from your Word. As Psalm 119:18 says, “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things out of your law.” Let your Spirit guide me. Teach me, correct me, encourage me. I want to know you more and walk in your truth. Thank you for meeting me here.

Rejoice and Reflect

I choose to rejoice, with all God’s people, in the powerful promise that God gives us in Psalm 31…

For you are my rock and my fortress;
    and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;
you take me out of the net they have hidden for me,
    for you are my refuge.
Into your hand I commit my spirit;
    you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.

       Psalm 31:2-5

As you read the passages below, ask the Lord to cause a word or phrase to stand out to you.

An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
    all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night
    and provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
    and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor
    and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates.

      Proverbs 31

As I reread the passage, I reflect on the questions, “How is my life touched by this word?” and “How does this passage connect with my life?”

An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
    all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night
    and provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
    and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor
    and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates.

      Proverbs 31

Proverbs 31 describes a woman who fears the Lord. It is a beautiful Proverb and well worth meditation. For our purposes, I want to highlight verses 28 and 29 about what every wife needs. She needs affirmation from the people who matter most. She needs children who don’t just see who she is and what she does and sit there silently. Same with husbands. Every wife needs a man who praises her and is publicly proud of her!

Ask

Lord, show me what it looks like to encourage those around me with the words out of my mouth. Let me take this life one step further and tell people what they mean to me. 

  1. What sticks out to me about this passage?
  2. What would it look like for husbands to praise their wives?
  3. Why does encouragement fill my soul?

Lord God, I confess my need for you. So often my heart grows cold, distracted by the things of this world. But you, O Lord, are the fountain of living water. Revive me again. As Psalm 85:6 says, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” Breathe fresh life into my soul. Stir my affections. Awaken me to your holiness, your mercy, and your calling. Cleanse me, fill me, and send me out with a heart fully alive to you. Do a new thing in me, Lord. Let it begin today.

Yield

As I read the passage for the final time, I listen to how the Lord is inviting me to respond to him. Where in my life do I need to yield in obedience to what he has for me?

An excellent wife who can find?
    She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
    and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
    all the days of her life.
She seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
She rises while it is yet night
    and provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
She dresses herself with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
    and her hands hold the spindle.
She opens her hand to the poor
    and reaches out her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
She makes bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
She makes linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women have done excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates.

      Proverbs 31

Yielding Prayer

A Yielding Prayer for Husbands over their wives:

Father God, thank you for the gift of my wife. She is a blessing far more valuable than jewels. I see in her so many qualities of the woman described in Proverbs 31—her strength, her care, her wisdom, her love for you and for our home.

Help me to honor her well. Teach me to cherish her, encourage her, and speak life into her every day. Let my words and actions reflect how deeply I value who she is and all she does. May I never take her for granted.

I pray that you continue to clothe her with strength and dignity. Let her laugh without fear of the future, knowing you hold her life. Fill her with your wisdom and peace, and let her joy in you overflow.

Above all, may she always walk in the fear of the Lord, confident in her identity as your beloved daughter. And help me, Lord, to be a husband who supports, protects, and serves her with Christlike love. Amen

Yielding Promise

And now, as I move into the day ahead, the Lord who loves me reminds me in Revelation 21…

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

      Revelation 21:1-2

Closing Prayer

Lord, enable me, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to love you today with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength; and to serve you today, by loving and caring for others as I do my own self; and, to exalt you today, by telling the people in my world about the abundant and eternal life found only through faith in Jesus.